Erika HARMS

With over a decade of experience in the field of responsible tourism and sustainable ocean economy, Erika holds a combined master's degree in business administration and natural resource management from INCAE (Instituto Centroamericano de Empresas).She was the founding executive director of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, which she coordinated for two years, the World Heritage Alliance, and Executive Director of the Sustainable Program of the UN Foundation. Erika also served in the secretariat of the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy at the World Resources Institute,  managing the Advisory Network.  She was also instrumental in setting up the Tourism Action Coalition for a Sustainable Ocean,  which was co-chaired by  Iberostar and The Ocean Foundation. 

In July 2021, she joined Iberostar as Director of Coastal Health in the Group's Sustainability department to bring her extensive experience in the world of public institutions, non-profit organizations and the private sector to help transform Wave Of Change's work on coastal health. During this time, she extended the company’s approach  to incorporate topics ranging from risk management and reduction, to ocean ecosystem services, focusing on Nature-based Solutions (NBS). In May 2024, she became Global Director of Sustainability - Science, Destination, Research & Innovation, leading the Sustainability office and wider cross-departmental team towards Iberostar’s shared goals to implement regenerative tourism, and drive the responsible tourism agenda through the five focus areas of Wave of Change.